Obama Having Trouble Getting One Democrat on His Side

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

Into the Wilder-Ness

President Obama dispatched a senior aide to Richmond to court the endorsement of former Virginia Democratic Governor Douglas Wilder for the current Democratic gubernatorial candidate.
But Wilder tells The Politico newspaper that he is far from endorsing Creigh Deeds: "...(on) bread and butter issues ... Tell me what the man has done? I haven't heard it."

Wilder was the nation's first elected black governor. He says Deeds may have a problem with African-American voters. Wilder says Obama officials feel the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races are an early test of the president's job approval: "The case that they made is that in Virginia and New Jersey — the two states that are up for election — losing one is bad, but losing both would be devastating."

President Obama will raise funds for Deeds early next month.

Not Easy Being Green

The Energy Department is not practicing what it preaches when it comes to energy efficiency. An inspector general's report says 64 percent of the buildings reviewed failed to use controls on heating, ventilation and air conditioning to conserve energy during non-working hours. The report says that translates into $11.5 million annually in wasted energy costs, enough to power 9,800 homes for a year.

The Wall Street Journal points out this isn't the DOE's first offense. In May, government inspectors found department employees tended to leave computer monitors on while not in use, wasting electricity worth $1million a year.

Caught on Tape

Italians are fuming over Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's audio sex tapes recorded by a high class escort, but not because they think the tapes are scandalous.

Instead, citizens are upset that the recorded conversations include Berlusconi bragging to the woman about the existence of 30 Phoenician tombs from the third century B.C. on his villa estate on Sardinia.

This was apparently news to almost everyone. The Daily Mail reports any archeological discovery like that should have been reported to Rome's culture Ministry, and a local office in charge of artistic heritage. Failure to do so can result in fines and possible jail time.

Berlusconi's office had no comment but his opposition is calling for a full report on the significant discovery.

Again, the outrage in the press is over the undisclosed tombs and not the sex acts or pillow talk heard on the audiotapes.

— FOX News Channel's Britt Lanna contributed to this report.